Wire handle



(No Model.)

F. W. HOEFER.

WIRE HANDLE.

No. 491,648. Patented Feb. 14, 1893.

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I handle of this UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FREDERICK W. HOEFER, OF FREEPORT, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO CHARLES G.SHEPARD AND WALTER J. SHEPARD, OF BUFFALO, NEYV YORK.

WIRE HANDLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 491,648, dated February14, 1893. Application filed November 12, 1892. Serial No. 451,746. (Nomodel.)

1O ments which are liable to become heated and more particularly tohandles of this character which consist essentially of a n umber ofspiral coils.

The object of my invention is to provide a kind which can be cheaplymanufactured and which is readily and securely attached to the shank ofthe implement without the use of separate fastenings or additionalparts.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a'perspeotive view of a stovelid lifter provided with my improved handle. Fig. 2 is a top plan viewthereof with the wire handle removed. Fig. 3 is a detached sideelevation 2 5 of the handle.

Like letters of reference refer to like parts in the several figures.

A represents the body or main portion of the lifter which is formed atits front end with the customary foot a for engaging the socket of thestove lid.

B is the shank of the lifter extending rearwardly from the body, andconsisting preferably of a number of radial ribs, as shown,

so as to reduce the heat-conducting surface of the shank. The latter isprovided at its junction with the body of the lifter with an annularshoulder 0 having preferably a spiral or inclined rear face, and at ashort distance 0 in rear of said shoulder with a number of lugs or stops01 arranged in a spiral line around the shank and forming with theadjacent inclined face of the shoulder c a spiral groove or recess. Theshank is provided at its opposite or outer end with a transverse seat orgroove e, which is formed centrally in a head or enlargement e of theshank.

F is the spirally coiled wire handle surrounding the shank of thelifter, and which has its inner coil or convolution f confined betweenthe inclined shoulder a of the shank and the spirally arranged lugs orstops at, so that said coil is held against bothinward and outwardmovement on the shank. At its outer end the wire handle is provided witha ring or loop 9 which is arranged substantially in the axial plane ofthe handle, and is seated with its inner bar or portion g in thetransverse groove act the shank, as clearly shown in Fig. 1. This ringor loop serves asameans of suspending the lifter from a hook or othersupport, when not in use.

In attaching the wire handle to the lifter the handle is passed over theshank, and its inner end is engaged between the inclined shoulder of theshank and the outermost spirally arranged lugs or stops d. The handle isthen turned on the shank in the proper direction to cause its inner endto engage between the inclined shoulder and the next lug or stop. Bythus turning the flexible handle it is drawn inwardly on the shank,owing to the spiral arrangement of the shoulder and the lugs, and assoon as the inner bar of the loop g arrives in line with the transversegroove in the outer end of the shank it springs into the same, therebypreventing the handle from turning backwardly and becoming disengagedfrom the lugs d. In order to obtain the necessary tension of the handleto confine the loop in the groove of the shank, the handle is made ofsuch size that when relieved from tension it is slightly shorter thanthe distance between the head of the inclined shoulder c and the groovedouter end of the shank. As the handle is held against turning by theloop, its inner coil is retained behind the lugs of the shank, and asthe loop is in turn retained in its seat in the shank by the confinementof the inner coil of the handle the latter is reliably secured to theshank at both ends.

The shank with its lug is cast in one piece with the body of the lifterand the loop 9 is formed integrally with the wire handle, so that theimplement consists of but two parts, thus simplifying its manufactureand rendering its cost comparatively small.

Although my improved handle is especially desirable for stove lidlifters and similar implements, it is equally applicable to utensils ofvarious sorts.

I claim as my invention:-

1. The combination with the shank of a stove lid lifter or otherimplement provided at its outer end with a transverse groove, at

5 its inner end with a shoulder and adjacent to said shoulder With a lugor stop, ofa flexible handle composed of spiral coils surrounding theshank and having its inner 'coil arranged between said shoulder and saidstop, and provided at its outer end With a bar or portion extendingdiametrically across the handle and seated in the transverse groove ofthe shank, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination with the shank of a stove lid lifter or otherimplement provided at its outer end with a transverse groove, at

ber, 1892.

FREDERICK W. HOEFER. Witnesses:

H. H. ANTRIM, FRED DORMAN.

